Beyond the Polls with Henry Olsen

Latest Episodes:

Organizing the Clown Car with Mollie Hemingway Jun 06, 2024

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The verdict is in but it's still early to tell exactly what it means for Donald Trump's bid to take back the White House. To weigh the possibilities, The Federalist's Mollie Hemingway joins Henry. They also cover Joe Biden's innumerable vulnerabilities to an electorate whose minds may remain unchanged; they parse through the criteria Trump might consider for his VP pick; and appraise the conservative brand in the counter-revolutionary era.
Plus, Henry takes a close look at Josh Stein's ad attacking Mark Robinson's fervent anti-abortion statements in hopes of pulling ahead in the tight North Carolina Governor's race.

Amy Walter on the Devils We Know Too Well May 30, 2024

Show notes

Cook Political Report's Amy Walter returns to the podcast to break down the latest findings from her 2024 Swing State Project. She explains voters' thoughts and expectations on the economy; provides analysis of the low Undecided/high third party numbers; and offers her take on the Democrats' scramble to keep its diverse base on the party premises.
Plus, Henry dives into a multi-decadal series of "Right Direction/Wrong Track" polling results to give us a sense of what it might mean for November; and he takes a look at John Avlon's deft pitch for partisan Ds and moderate Rs in New York's red 1st Congressional District.

Betting it All with Steve Kornacki May 23, 2024

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As Donald Trump leads on the backstretch of the 2024 presidential race, Biden makes use of his whip, challenging his opponent to an unconventional debate. Henry takes a deep dive into this necessary bold strategy. Then he's joined by NBC's national political correspondent Steve Kornacki. The two discuss the president's failure to gain traction as Trump maintains momentum.
Plus, Henry takes a close look at two ads for Tony Gonzalez — one from his campaign, the other from the RCJ SuperPac — against challenger Brandon Herrera in Texas 23.

The Silly, the Sublime and the (Maybe Even) Serious May 16, 2024

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Henry’s back after a brief hiatus as election season heats up! He's joined by National Review's Jim Geraghty to parse out the parties’ business-as-usual dysfunction from the special brand of it we've gotten used to recently. They consider whether the Republican Party even knows what it wants; what they’ll do if they pull off the trifecta in November; and what we should make of tight polls considering the Biden/Harris ticket’s historic unpopularity.
Plus, Henry delivers his first ever Bad Ad of the Week, in response to Don Blankenship's clunker spot; and he makes a quick stop in Maryland to explain why Angela Alsobrooks' personal touch won out over David Trone's big money.

Party of the People Apr 25, 2024

Show notes

Patrick Ruffini of Echelon Insights joins to discuss his new book, The Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP. He and Henry consider why the shift has occurred, why so few saw it coming, how sustainable a working class Republican Party really is, and what to make of it as a global phenomenon.
Plus, Henry brings back the dueling ads of the week, this time pitting Jon Tester against Sherrod Brown.

Drunk Parties Seeking Designated Normies Apr 18, 2024

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What to make of the astounding, worldwide coalition shifts we've seen over the last decade? There are few better to pose the question to than Ruy Teixiera. He and Henry dive into the Democratic Party's abandonment of the white working class and the Republican Party's clumsy attempt to win them over.
Plus, Henry takes a look at a well-made ad from the Lauren Boebert team

The Mother of All Primaries Apr 11, 2024

Show notes

Beyond the Polls listeners are all about the little details, and this week Henry's joined by Jacob Rubashkin, Deputy Editor at a premiere nonpartisan political analysis outfit, Inside Elections. They take us through a trip across the country to dig into the approaching Senate primaries in West Virginia & Maryland, along with House primaries in Pennsylvania’s 12th, Indiana 5, Maryland 3, Oregon 5, and the Republican runoff in Texas 23.
Plus, with the fight over abortion heating up, pushing politicians to take concrete positions, Henry takes us through the approaches partisans should consider to move the needle in their direction. And, boy oh boy, we have quite an ad to discuss this week!

Can't Do a Thing If You Ain't Got Them Swings Apr 04, 2024

Show notes

We take a long look at both sides of the pond this week, accompanied by Director of polling firm JL Partners Scarlett Maguire. She takes us through her team's innovative polling methods which have made them among the standouts for accurate predictions. She also takes us through their latest efforts in following the Trump/Biden rematch in the States and the crisis facing the Tories in Britain.
Plus, Henry breaks down Donald Trump's favorable showing in the Wall Street Journal swing state poll; and for the first time ever, we've got dueling ads of the week!

Mind The Gap Mar 29, 2024

Show notes

AEI's Senior Fellow Emeritus Karlyn Bowman returns to answer some questions and poses others on one of the essential political puzzles of the day: the growing separation between the sexes. Plus Henry speculates on how Donald Trump might blunt Joe Biden’s cash edge, and breaks down the latest attack ad against Mike Braun.

Whither Reaganism? Mar 21, 2024

Show notes

Peter Robinson drops by for a detailed discussion with Henry about the road away from The Gipper's GOP. They consider the ways even acolytes misunderstood Reaganism and why that resulted in the extraordinary coalition shifts we're witnessing today.

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